Loose-leaf memorandum index



1951 R; E. GORDENIER ET AL 2,536,544

LOOSE-LEAF MEMORANDUM INDEX 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 51, 1949 F: c. 2 ROBERT-E.GORDENIER FRANCIS E.GRUBER JOHN F. THULL Jan. 2, 1951 R. E. GORDENIER YET AL 2,536,544

LOOSE-LEAF MEMORANDUM INDEX 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 51, 1949 8 Snventor ROBERT EGORDENIER FRANCIS E. GRUBER 3! JOHN HULL Gttomcg Jan. 2, 1951 R. E. GORDENIER ET AL 2,536,544

LOOSE-LEAF MEMORANDUM INDEX Filed May 51, 1949 s Sheets-Shet 3 Znwentor ROBERT E. GORDENIER FRANCIS E. GRUBER JOHN F. THULL B (Ittorneg Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE-LEAF MEMORANDUM INDEX Robert E. Gordenier and Francis E. Gruber, St. Paul, and John F. Thull, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to Brown & Bigelow, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application May 31, 1949, Serial No. 96,186

14 Claims.

This invention relates to an index provided with loose leaf sheets, which may be replaced, and upon which indicia may be indicated under alphabetical arrangement for future reference.

A feature resides in providing a telephone index which is comparatively fiat, when closed, and which is adapted to be opened by a series of keys, which are operated by hand to open the index at the desired place, to expose the indicia on the cards within the index.

A feature resides in providing a closure key which is adapted to move the cover into closed position and to automatically carry the indicia sheets, which have been elevated, into closed position simultaneously with the closing of the cover.

The operating keys are adapted to carry the indicia, such as A, B, C, etc., giving the letters of the alphabet in plain view on the keys so that the operator may see at a glance the portion of the index which he selects when he operates the respective key. Then the operator may readily close the index by operating the closure key.

It is also a feature to provide means for automatically looking all of the keys not selected by the operator, when the cover is opened by a selected key, so that while the cover of the index is open and the cards selected have been elevated with the cover, all of the other keys are locked against operation until the cover has been closed, which automatically releases the locking means so that the index can again be operated to select any portion thereof for observation.

A feature of primary importance in this telephone index resides in the quick selection of a particular index card, and by the operation of the key moving the card elevated in position to display the back of the same, with the card resting against the cover in easel-like support, while the face of the card remaining on top of the unselected cards is exposed to the full view of the operator. In this manner, we provide a very desirable telephone index which permits each card of the index, excepting the top and bottom cards, to show on their respective faces indicia, written or printed thereon, associated with the letter of the alphabet. Thus, both sides of the cards of the index may be used, excepting the top and bottom cards thereof. Each of the cards of the index is provided with lines and spaces for names and telephone numbers, or other indicia to be placed thereon, and the cards, when.

the index is used for telephone numbers, are

2 the topcard will have the letter A on the under surface of the same, in conjunction with the lines of the indicia to be written thereon, and the bottom card will have the letter Z, with the lines of theindicia, on the top face thereof.

The sheets of the index are loose-leaf and are adapted to be held by arcuated tracks formed integral with the cover. The respective sheets of the index are notched to fit the tracks formed on the cover. By slightly bending each card, it may be attached to the cover in loose engagement with the arcuated tracks on the inside ends of the cover. Thus, any card of the index may be replaced at any time.

It is a further object to provide each of the selector keys with an operating finger, which is mounted on a common shaft with the fingers of the other keys, and when the selector key is operated, these fingers move up against the sheets, above the same, to raise the sheets with the cover. All of the sheets of the index are notched out along one edge adjacent the operating fingers, except the top sheet. This permits the operating fingers to pass through the cards not selected to be elevated, and thereby simplifies the operation of the selector means of the index.

These features, together with other objects and details, will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of our index showing the cover thereon in open position, with some of the index cards elevated with the cover, as selected by the key which was operated to open the index.

Figure 2 is a transfer section in elevation through Figure 1 on the line 22 in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a bottom view with the bottom plate removed to expose the operating fingers and the springs which hold the fingers normally out of operation.

Figure 4 is a section of the cover removed from the other parts.

Figure 5 is a perspective detail looking at the top of the guide bar and the pivoted cover return arm, which has been removed as a unit from the index casing.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail of a portion of the bottom plate which closes the index, and looking on top of the plate illustrating the upstanding lugs, which are struck from the bottom plate and which operate to hold the guide bar and the shaft for the cover in place, also showing the locking bar for the fingers pivoted to the bottom plate.

Figure '7 illustrates three of the sheets which form the pack of cards for our index.

Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 2, looking in the opposite direction, the front portion of the index being broken away.

Our telephone index A is designed with a case Iii which may be made of plastic or other material and which is adapted to be comparatively flat in formation. The case it is of an integral nature and is formed with a recess H in the top of the same, in which the pack of index cards LB normally rests.

The pack of cards B is made up of individual sheets l2, and they are normally held in the recess ll forming the index, as indicated in Figure 2.

The casing IE of the index is formed with a front inclined keyboard portion [3, which is adapted to support the operating keys la in a manner to slide in the slots l formed in the keyboard.

The keys l4 may be formed of plastic or other suitable material and have integrally formed hooks it, which project through the slots l5 and are adapted to be connected to the operating rods 51.

The index A is adapted to be closed by the cover C which is formed of plastic or other suitable material and which is provided with end plates l8, which are formed integral with the cover proper and are positioned at the pivoted end of the cover. The cover C has a recess ['9 formed therein into which the cards l2 of the pack B are adapted to rest, when the cards are raised out of the recess H. The ends l8 of the cover C are formed with arcuated track portions 20, which project inwardly from the end plates and are adapted to support the sheets l2 of the pack B by reason of the notches 2! formed in the edges of the cards l2, which engage the arouated tracks 20 and thus hold the cards slideably supported on the tracks 20 to the cover C.

Any one of the cards I 2 of the index B may be removed to permit the same to be written upon, or the entire index pack B may be removed and replaced when it is desired. This is important because it provides a loose leaf index.

Therefore, it will be apparent that the index cards l2 may be replaced at any time, either individually or as a whole, in the pack B.

The case H3 with the cover C, together with the operating keys I4, is formed to provide a permanent mechanism and casing for supporting and operating the index B. This operating mechanism with the case It) and the cover C, together with the mechanism for operating the index pack B, is comparatively permanent and will last for a considerable time, depending upon the amount of use the index is given; whereas, the index B will have to be replaced from time to time by a new series of cards l2.

The operating rods I? are pivotally connected at 22 to the lifting fingers 23, which may be made out of plastic and which are adapted to be supported by the common bearing rod 25. Each of the operating keys I4 is provided with a lifting finger 23, all of which are mounted on the common rod 24 on which the keys l4 rotate when they are operated. In the operation of the keys i i, a downward pull is exerted by the operators finger while engaging the serrated surface M. In this manner, the operator engages the selected key M and exerts'a downward pull which in turn operates the selected rod H, which is connected to the key I4, and the rod I! in turn operates the respective lifting finger 23 causing the free end 25 of the finger 23 to engage against the bottom of the cards above the same, forcing the cards 12 against the inside Wall 19 of the cover C and simultaneously raising the sheets l2 and the cover C, as illustrated in Figure 2.

Each of the sheets l2 is formed with a series of openings 26 in accordance with their formation in the pack B, excepting the top card which carries the first letter of the alphabet, A, on the underside of the same and which card does not have an opening 26 formed in the inner edge of the same. The next card, carryin the alphabet letter B on the top and the letter C on the underside, is formed with one opening 26 to the extreme left of the card. The next card, having the alphabet letter D on top and the letter E underneath, is formed with two openings or recesses 26 on the inner edge of the same. The next card, carrying the alphabet letter F on top and the letter G on the bottom, is formed with three openings 26, while the next card of the pack B, carrying the alphabet letter H on the top thereof and the letter I underneath, is formed with four receses or notches 26 along the inner edge of the same. It will be apparent that as the cards progress in the alphabet, the number of recesses or notches 26 will increase so that the last card of the pack B of the alphabet of the index will be formed with thirteen recesses or notches 25. These recesses 26 are for the purpose of permitting the operating ends 25, of the operating fingers 23, to pass through the respective sheets when they are selected by the keys M, to lift the cards l2 and the cover positioned above the operating end 25, of the lifting finger 23,

. which has been selected to open the index. Thus,

any card of the index B may be selected by operating the keys M.

We provide a closing key 21 positioned on the extreme right of the keyboard portion is of the index A. This key 21. may be of a different color so as to readily distinguish it from the other keys M. The closure key 21 is operated to close the cover C by engaging'the serrated edge 21 at the top end, exerting a downward pull on the same. The key 21 is formed with a hook similar to the hook I6 formed on the keys I4, on the underside of the key which is adapted to engage the operating rod 28, is adapted to pivotally engage the closing bar 29, and is pivotally connected at 30 thereto, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The plate 3! which supports the operating closing bar 29 is illustrated in Figure 5 as'it would appearwhenremoved from the machine and looking down on he same. The bar 29 is pivoted to the plate 3| at 32, and is formed with a shoe 33 at the end opposite the connection 35 with the rod 28 which shoe engages the edge 34 when the cover C is in open position, and the key 21 is operated to force the shoe 33 against the edge 34 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 8 causing the cover C to be moved into closing position.

The cover C, together with any of the cards l2 of the index B which have been elevated into the cover, stands in open position with the cover acting to support the sheets I2 in an easel-like manner. When the cover is to be closed by the operation of the key 27, the rod 28 pulls the bar 29 causing the shoe 33 to strike against the edge 34 of the cover, and thereby moving the cover over the center of its pivot point on the bearing rod 24 causing the cover and the elevated sheets to fall by gravity into closed position.

The bar 3! is provided with a series of holes 35 which are adapted to be engaged by the coil springs 3'! which are connected to the books 16 of the keys Hi and the closing key 21. Thus, the coil springs 3'! hold the keys and the fingers 23 normally-in inoperative position. When one of the keys IQ is operated against the action of a spring 37, the finger 23 is connected to said key operated about the shaft 24, as heretofore set forth, to elevate the selected sheets l2 and the cover C. When the closing key 21 is operated against the action of the spring 35, the rod 28 will be operated to move the bar 29 to close the cover C by the shoe 33. e

The bar 35 is adapted to be held in position in the index by the upwardly projected lugs 38 formed from the bottom plate 39 which closes the bottom of the index A. The bottom plate 39 is held in place by the screws 40 positioned at the corner of the same. There are a pair of upwardly projecting lugs 4! formed from the plate 39 which engage against the bearing rod or shaft 24 to hold it in operating position. The extreme ends of the bearing rod or shaft 24 are supported in the bearings 42 which are formed in the plastic case if? of the index A.

We provide a locking bar 43 which is pivotally supported by the tongs 44 engaging in the loops G which are struck up from the bottom and the locking bar 43 acts to look all of the fingers 23 out of operating position, excepting the finger selected to raise the cover C as illustrated in Figure 2. When the index is closed by the cover C, the locking bar 43 is out of operating position. However, when one of the fingers 23 i operated to select a certain card in the index B, the finger selected moves the cards above the same with the cover C into the position illustrated in Figure 2, and as the cover moves into this position, the edge 3% lifts the locking bar to engage in the notches 46 of the unselected fingers 23, thus holding the fingers that are not selected for operation locked against operation. The action of the locking bar 43 is automatic by the movement of the cover C, and as soon as the cover 0 is dropped into closed position, the locking bar is drops out of operating position to release all of the fingers. Thus, when the index is closed, all of the fingers are released.

The simplicity of operation of our index A will be apparent. The index is comparatively fiat, and the index cards 52 are held concealed under the cover C when it is closed. The index may be readily operatedby selecting the key I l indicating the letters of the alphabet of the index which have corresponding letters on each of the keys, and when reference to the index is completed, it is closed by operating the closure key 27. The operation of the index is rapid as the operator simply selects the key with the desired numerals thereon, pulls the key down which raises the cover automatically exposing the cards with the corresponding alphabet on the cards, and then by a quick operating motion the cover is closed by the closure key 27. The index is streamlined and is comparatively flat on the desk on which it rests so as togive it a clean, attractive appearance, and wherein the index cards are protected by the cover C. When it is desirable to removeone of the cards l2, this may be readily done asthese cards are loose leaf, and

"said casing,

the whole index may be replaced at any time it is desired.

We claim:

1. A selectable memorandum including a series of loose leaf sheets, lines on said sheets for receiving indicia, identifyin indicia for each of said sheets, casing means for holding said sheets in a normally horizontal position, a cover for arcuated tracks formed on the inner sides of said cover adjacent its pivot point, means for pivotally supporting said cover to permit the free edge of said cover to be elevated into displaying position, notches formed in each of said sheets adapted to engage said arcuated track means on said cover, key and lifter finger means for selecting sheets to be elevated into display position and adapted to simultaneously elevate said cover with the selected sheet, key operated closing means for said cover adapted to cause the free end of said cover to be moved over the center of the pivot point of said cover and to simultaneously carry the sheets with said cover into closed position.

2. An alphabetical index including a casing adapted to support a series of cards normally lying horizontally and having the alphabet printed thereon, finger keys having the alphabet associated therewith adapted to raise said selected cards thereby opening said index, and a closure key adapted to automatically close said index and return all of the cards into said casing. 3. A reference memorandum including a series of loose leaf replaceable sheets, a casing for supporting said sheets in a horizontal position, a cover for closing said casing, an arcuated track moving its free edge over the center of the pivot-'. ing point thereof causing said cover and the selected elevated sheet to fall by gravity into horizontal closed position.

4. A desk memorandum index including a casing formed of plastic material, a plastic cover for said casing, means including a pivoted arm for closing said cover, a recess in said casing below said cover adapted to receive a pack of index cards, a series of loose leaf cards adapted to form the index pad upon which indicia may be written, a series of pivoted fingers, a series of keys connected to said fingers for selecting any of the desired cards from said pack, and a closure key connected to said pivoted arm adapted to close said cover and to automatically return the cards of said pack into said casing in normal position.

5. An index comprising a pack of loose leafsheets having indicia thereon and lines for receiving other indicia, means for supporting said tion, and key means for closing said cover and simultaneously returning the elevated sheets to the horizontal position of the unselected sheets.

6. An index having a plastic case, a plastic cover hingedly supported in said casing, a loose leaf card index adapted to be positioned in said casing below said cover, a series of pivoted fingers for selecting a pre-determined card in said index, spring means for holding said fingers out of operating position, fin er operated keys and rod means for operating said selector fingers to automatically raise said cover and the cards selected to expose the surface of the cards selected in said index, and means for closing said cover and 4 returning elevated cards to the index pack by moving the cover into closed position.

7. An alphabetical index including a series of loose leaf cards with the alphabet indicated on the respective cards, means for supporting said cards in a normally horizontal position within a casing having a substantially rigid cover extending over said cards in a closed position, lifting meansladapted to bear against said cover for selecting any of said cards to elevate the same simultaneously with the cover into displaying position, and key means for closing said cover and simultaneously causing the elevated cards to be returned to the unselected cards in a horizontal position concealed within said casing and cover.

8. An alphabetical index comprising a series of loose leaf cards having indicia indicating the alphabet on each of said cards, casing means for enclosing said cards, a cover for exposing said cards when elevated, a series of selector keys having the alphabet indicated on the face of said keys, cover and card lifting fingers connected with said keys, a closure key for closing said cover, said cards and said cover normally extending in a horizontal position when said casing is closed and said cards are concealed therein, said lifting fingers being adapted to lift the selected card or cards to elevate said cover and selected card into a backwardly inclined position, and said closure key operating to close said cover and simultaneously carry the upstanding card back to horizontal position with the unselected cards.

9. A desk index for alphabetical indicia including a pack of loose leaf cards, a casing for supporting said cards in a horizontal recess formed in said casing, a cover for closing said recess and covering said pack of cards, arcuated track means formed on the sides of said cover adapted to freely and removably support said cards, a keyboard on said casing, a series of slideable keys mounted on said board, a series of lifting fingers mounted on a common shaft adjacent one end of said cover, finger openings formed along the inner edge of the sheets of said pack of cards through which said lifting fingers may pass to elevate the cards of said pack above the selected finger to raise a selected card in an upright position and to simultanously raise said cover, a closing key on said keyboard for closing said cover and said cards into horizontal position in said casing, and spring means for normally holding said keys and said lifting fingers out of operating position.

10. An index having a pack of alphabetically stamped cards arranged one upon the other, a casing for supporting saidcards in a horizontal position and having a recess in which said cards normally rest, a keyboard on said casing, a series of operating keys-positioned on said keyboard, a closure key on said keyboard, a series of lifting fingers connected with said keys on said keyboard, a cover adapted to extend over said cards and close said casingrecess, an operating means connecting said closure key with said cover when open to move said cover over the center of its pivot point to cause it to fall into closed position by the operation of said closure key, said cards of said pack being progressively notched along their edge adjacent said lifting fingers to permit said fingers to pass through said notches and lift the unnotched cards of said pack with the cover.

11. A memorandum index including'a pack of loose leaf cards having alphabetical indicia thereon, a casing for supporting said pack of cards in a horizontal position, a cover for closing said casing and normally concealing said cards, a series of lifting fingers mounted on a common shaft adapted to lift said cards and said cover simultaneously, means for locking the remaining fingers except the finger selected for lifting said cards and cover to prevent operation of the finers not selected when said cover and cards selected are elevated, and means for closing said cover and returning the selected cards to the pack in a horidontal position b moving said cover over the center of its pivot point.

12. A selectable memorandum including a series of loose leaf sheets, casing means for holding said sheets in a normally horizontal position, a rigid cover pivotally mounted on said casing for covering said sheets in a horizontal position and being adapted to be elevated with and form a support for said elevated sheets, aseries of pivotedfingers, rod and key means for actuating said fingers to bear against said cover and selected sheet to raise the same, said sheets having slots formed progressively therein adapted to be bypassed by said fingers if not selected, and rod and key means for returning said cover and selected sheets to a horizontal'position in said casing.

13. In a selectable loose leaf index, a series of loose leaf sheets positioned in said casing, a rigid cover hingedly mounted on said casing, a series of fingers pivotally mounted on a single shaft adapted to raise said cover and selected sheets, a series of keys slideably mounted on said casing, rod members connecting said fingers and said keys, spring means for maintaining said fingers and said keys in a retracted position.

14. An alphabetical index including a pack of loose leaf index cards having the alphabet indicia thereon, means fo-rpivotal1y supporting said cards to rotate on an arc, a casing for enclosing said cards, a cover for said casing, arcuated track means on said cover for supporting said cards, a series of keys, alphabetical indicia on said keys, lifting fingers for selecting and operating said cards into an elevated position, and a closure key for closing saidcover.

ROBERT E. GORDENIER. FRANCIS E. GRUBER. JOHN F. TI-IULL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 513,343 Schuyler Jan. 23, 1894' 647,218 Christiansen Apr. 10, 1900 856,841 Birnbach June 11, 1907 1,649,448 Cutler Nov. 15, 1927 2,305,434 LeFebure Dec. 15, 1942 2,329,300 Rummler Sept. 14, 1943 2,341,983 Faas Feb. 15, 1944 2,494,167 Faas Jan. 10, 1950 2,524,704 Henderson Oct. 3, 1950' 

